I am flying up to see ds2 the weekend after the election. I was thinking it would be fun to be in DC on Election Day and would fly in early, but now I’m wondering whether I’m nuts to consider it. What think you, DC-area residents?
It will be no different. Employees get time off to vote, and since many live in Maryland or Virginia they will come in late or leave early. When I lived in Maryland many years ago, election day was a state holiday so things were closed.
All senators and Reps will, of course not be there. They’ll be in their home states celebrating (or crying).
Election day should be OK, the day after though…?
Election day is fine; it’s inauguration day that is a nightmare.
I think the OP is thinking that DC would be a hustling, bustling place on election day, and I don’t think it will be. Congress will not be in session. The only big celebration parties will be for local officials.
Yes, inauguration is very different.
The traffic might be a little less appalling because Maryland schools are closed on Election Day, which means a lot of parents will take the day off or work from home. Other than that, Election Day is just a normal day in the DC area.
After Obama was declared the winner both times, people poured into the streets of some downtown neighborhoods for spontaneous parties. Depending on the results of this election and your political leanings, it could be fun to be part of that. I’m in the DC suburbs and had a kid who had to get to school the next day, or it might have been fun to join in. See https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/on-election-night-dc-is-a-multi-party-town/2012/11/06/dc223848-2842-11e2-bab2-eda299503684_story.html
Most Virginia schools will also be closed on election day, so the traffic will be lighter than usual.
Somehow, I cannot imagine this happening this year. I wish I could.
I have lots of African American colleagues at work. It was wonderful to see (and to some extent share) their joy eight years ago and four years ago. But this time…
S2 was among the college students celebrating outside the White House on election night 2008.
@Marian I can imagine celebrating the first woman president 
Don’t you want to stay home and vote?
I like to vote on Election Day, but I’m willing to vote early to make this happen. I’m so undecided. 
I think it would be more exciting to be at your preferred candidate’s headquarters…this year, they’re in the same city.